


When I First Met Hope

by Deity_Emi



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Female Protagonist, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 03:34:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11546640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deity_Emi/pseuds/Deity_Emi
Summary: Inori Yukihiro was the Ultimate Inventor. Torn between her creations and her ideals, her involvement with the Future Foundation has led her to uncover the secrets of Kibougamine Gakuen. Meeting Izuru for the first time made her realize something...and maybe, feel something new as well.Kamukura Izuru tribute! For his first appearance in DR3 episode 6. <3





	When I First Met Hope

The moment I finally met him in person, was in the middle of this crazy mess that is The Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History, or for short The Tragedy. I…didn’t want to be in the center of this mess, much less involve myself in the battle between the Future Foundation and the Ultimate Despair members. I let the other talented people of FF fight while I search for the source.

And that’s where I found him.

He was sitting in the middle of this dark room in the almost destroyed Hope’s Peak, this room where he was secluded in before the start of the event. It was no longer locked but the door remained closed. He may be the genius leader of Ultimate Despair, but he became very bored after seeing the things that came before his eyes, and so he closed himself in here.

Those bright red eyes – half a reticle – just stared at me blankly. There was no inch of life on those red orbs, but you can feel his emotions even without him trying to show them. He was stated to have no feelings or memories, but in this case he seemed to have been struggling to show his expressions and was most likely angry with himself for denying.

“K…Kamukura-kun...”

I called out to him, but there was silence.  I didn’t expect him to respond or anything but…those stares just went on. I tried to find the words to ask him, the words to explain to him and the words to convince him, yet nothing came up. We just stared at each other for a couple more minutes when he suddenly blinked and spoke.

“What…is the Ultimate Inventor doing here? You are the Future Foundation’s head, right? You…are an enemy.”

Izuru’s words were chilling and they sent shivers down my spine. He said those as his red orbs kept their focus on me. I wanted to fall on my knees, hide my face or run away from this room. But I don’t want to do that now…even if he makes me feel this way, I won’t leave…I made an effort to go here while being sabotaged by people with Monokuma heads, and even Peko Pekoyama trying to stop me.

“I just…want to talk to you, Kamukura-kun. Is there…something wrong with just talking?” I managed to blurt out, my legs still shaking from that cold fear.

He blinks again. “It is boring…but I won’t let your effort coming here to go to waste. You can talk…but don’t expect any good response from me.” Right after he said this he shifted his position on the bed, facing the right side of the wall, looking at it emotionlessly.

I dragged my weak legs on and sat on the side opposite of Izuru, careful to not let my back touch his as I leaned and faced the wall that was in front of me. I also hugged my legs. My lips wanted to say something but no words came out. My mind is jumbled. But I took a deep breath to calm myself, now that he’s allowed me to talk to him, there’s nothing that’s gonna happen…right?

“Kamukura-kun…what is your…purpose? Is it…to only serve Junko Enoshima?” I began.

“What do you mean?”

“You are the leader of Ultimate Despair, and Junko is the founder of the organization. Is it not natural for you to be devoted to her and follow her orders? But here you are, doing nothing…”

“I find her really boring, in terms of both interest and leadership. She isn’t even near my level.”

I choked out a laugh. “Is everything really boring to you…?”

“As long as the person is not greater than me then they are boring. I have all the talents…and she is but a mere joke to me. Someone I can easily kill.” He said it so straightforwardly it was scary…and creepy. He had no qualms on killing the Ultimate Despair…even if it cost him himself.

That raised my concerns. “But…why didn’t you kill her?”

“As I’ve said, everything is boring. So if I killed her, then the world will become even more boring.”

My eyes widened and I was so close to slapping him just to realize he was wrong, but I won’t take that risk. “Do…do you really think the eradication of The Tragedy and the defeat of the Ultimate Despair would be boring…?”

He nodded. “There are no more talents to research…to focus on…to be able to spread hope, the talents must stay alive.”

“But you yourself are a talent, Kamukura-kun. They told you that you had all of the talents they had researched on? Every Main Course student that had talent, they were a part of you…you should feel very blessed.”

“That is the reason why it is boring. They created me to suit their wishes of reclaiming hope by putting all those talents in me. Now they are powerless because I did not do what they wanted. It is their entire fault.” He replied again in a low, straight voice. Izuru hated both the Academy and Junko for using him instead of valuing him as a talented individual. I can understand that…but still…

He flicked his eyes. “Instead of creating me, they should have just done something else. I am not denying my existence, but what I wanted to say is that my purpose has become meaningless after Ultimate Despair had finally accomplished what they wanted. And soon, they – no, you and your team – will be capturing us.”

That was true…the Future Foundation is going to arrest them…and maybe kill them too. But I won’t let that happen, either way or another.

Silence passed by between us once again. What should I say to him? He’s…being negative of himself. But of course, if he wasn’t then that won’t be Izuru. Yet I still believe that I can make him show emotions and remember everything. I’d do everything in my power to do just that.

“No more questions to ask, Inori Yukihiro? If so then you are welcome to leave.”

I got startled by this and shouted no. “I won’t leave…I still…have to…talk to you more. And…how did you know my name…?”

“Junko showed me a picture of you, as you are the Future Foundation head. She told me to be wary of you because you will kill me. From this conversation, however…I doubt you’d try and do that.”

“I don’t want to kill you…”

My voice trailed off as I said that. Now I am at a loss for words again. Junko really loves to put such lies in his head to break his spirit even more. I really want to impale her with lots of my inventions just so she can stop manipulating people’s lives…

I looked for questions to ask. The only thing that was coming up on my mind is about…Hinata Hajime, his original self. He never once denied this existence as he can remember a bit of his old self, but doesn’t really care because he has a talent now…and his old one has none. Junko would probably say that Hinata is better off erased because he is talentless, but Izuru doesn’t want that…maybe…?

And so I asked.

“Do you still…view yourself as Hinata Hajime…?”

He didn’t respond for a while and I thought I might have hit a stone. But then-

“…Sometimes.”

I repeated that word, curious. “…S…Sometimes…?”

“I wanted him to see how the world is with talent, how boring the world is. But because he’s gone now…he won’t be able to see it. Not that he would like it, anyway. I do remember things like he does not care what will happen to him as long as he can have talent and become the hope for others, but for me…doing that is…boring.”

“Boring again…” I laughed.

“Why do you still need talent if you will only see the world the same thing that others do? But in this world where talent reigns…it has become really overwhelming.”

There was a smile on my lips now. “I thought…you were the kind of person who valued talent above everything and looked down on people who were not like you, or were talentless.”

“Not anymore. It’s disgusting.”

My smile remained. Does this mean Izuru was looking back on the mistakes he did and wished he could go back and do something about it…? Even if he was manipulated by the school to spread hope and showcase talent, I’m sure…he would have done good things. Only Junko had to intervene. He was already an amazing man before he turned to despair.

I traced the rails of the bed with my finger. “Do you want to be…Hinata again?”

“Why are you asking that?”

“I just wanted to know…if…there is a way…”

He stopped my sentence fast. “There is no other way to bring that man back. As you can see…I am using his body. It would require a vast miracle for him to come back. At this point, no such miracle exists, so do not hope too much, Inori.”

Again with that creepy tone and he said my name in the same way too. It feels like he wanted to be Hajime again but he also doesn’t want to. Mixed thoughts…?

“I always believed there was a way….” I muttered.

“…?”

“…I always knew. I always prayed that something would happen…because why am I even here…? I was here because of him…because of Hajime…when I learned that he accepted the project…I wanted to stop him…but I couldn’t. I was already too late…and there was no turning back.” Those words finally came out. I don’t want him to understand all of it….but at least he will know. He will see my feelings for the man that was once with me and now gone.

“And maybe…just maybe…” My voice trembled and I opted not to cry.

“…you thought that talking to me would bring him back? Surely, you are as useless as your brain,” He responded.

Izuru was right.

It was useless. But I still did it anyway. Because I continued to believe in myself and Hajime, I believed in the two of us…that promise we made together back then before he proceeded with the project. I believed that he would recognize me again and I would be able to get the answers from him…Izuru did recognize me, but that was all. In a way…there was both hope and despair for me.

That hope – he knew who I was, and that despair – he couldn’t remember anything else about us.

Reluctantly, I faced him, and I almost fell off the bed when I saw him already facing me and those red lifeless eyes still staring blankly at me. When did he do that…?

“You’re still here and you knew that all you have done was for nothing. I admire your persistence, Inori Yukihiro. You should have been a part of Ultimate Despair…your talent is a valuable asset.” Izuru firmly told me, as to let my guard down, but I didn’t.

“If I was Ultimate Despair, would that…make you happy?” I still held back my tears; I was getting close to letting them go now.

“….”

“I thought so…you will never be happy…so I guess it’s over for me.” Finally my tears rolled down my face, that smile beaming sadly at him as he looked on. Somehow, it triggered him for a bit. “I’m useless, right…? For expecting too much…? Then I should…”

“Dying won’t let you go anywhere, Inori.” Izuru replied again, his eyebrows furrowing.

I felt silent. Was there really no other option?

But I can still try.

“…Maybe you would allow me to do one thing? Before I leave you again alone in this room,” I stared back at his red eyes, my words straightforward.

“Do as you wish.”

Without hesitation, l leaned closer to him, holding his face gently – but he had no reaction, he didn’t back away, and he just sat still there looking on what I was doing. My face was already mere inches from his and he never flinched. Those red orbs…they continue to stare at me…mesmerizing me…somewhere in my mind I wished…he would be like this forever…

And I placed my lips on his softly.

He seemed to be still like always, his eyes still staring, but they suddenly closed.

I felt him kiss back.

Although slightly, it was enough to get my senses AND my attention. Even if he knew it was boring, useless – he still did so. Izuru was maybe that type of man, what interested him, he will not find it as boring. Maybe the kiss made him interested? About my relationship with Hajime, that is.

I pulled back from the kiss not sooner, and moved away from the bed, slowly heading towards the door. Izuru stared at me as I walked past him.

“Do you realize what you just did?” He said, in again, that creepy low voice.

“I just want to show you…and Hajime…how I really feel, before this entire farce end.” I briefly turned and gave him a small smile. “You still have Hajime in you…I can sense it…after you just kissed me back.” Another tear rolls down my face. “Even if I can’t bring him back, you…are here. And that is…fine with me. Because…you’re one and the same.”

And I finally left. Izuru was left alone again, staring at the closed door, before reaching his fingers towards his lips.

“Such a useless woman…”

-end


End file.
